Over 1,300 bird species are threatened with extinction, and a total of 197 Critically Endangered bird species are on the brink of extinction and face a suite of human-driven threats.

However, the actions needed to help them recover are well understood.

The BirdLife Preventing Extinctions Programme was launched in 2008 in response to this crisis. In its first five years, the programme has already begun to turn the tide, taking action for 40% of all threatened species.